The Austin Film Festival is near and dear to us, as our first ever Festival Genius partner back in 2005, and we were in attendance this year to experience all of the great films, panels and parties offered. AFF’s unique focus on the writer was reflected in the strong film programming and conference lineup. Panels brought together esteemed Hollywood writers to talk about their craft; film selections emphasized the power of storytelling; and parties gave festival-goers, filmmakers, aspiring writers and industry VIPs alike a chance to rub elbows and kick back Austin-style.

Attendees have been using the the Festival Genius to plan their schedules and voice their opinions in record numbers this year. Here are just a couple indie gems festival-goers have discovered at AFF:

The Scenesters: Director Todd Berger crafts an entertaining twist to the classic whodunit, honoring and deconstructing the film noir genre while poking fun at hipster culture. From user raraviv: “Funny, clever, great performances, fantastic soundtrack. This is the sort of unique film that could become a cult hit (or maybe even a regular hit).”

Happy Ending: Atsuhiro Yamada’s first feature simultaneously homages formulaic romantic comedies while deconstructing the genre and creating something that is undeniably fresh. From user simplygreg: “Whimsical and smart, the self-awareness and nerdcore is fun and memorable, especially for cinephiles.”

Austin Film Festival Marquee Screenings are usually films you can expect to see soon at a theater near you, and these crowd-pleasers were well-received by audiences at AFF:

The Messenger: Oren Moverman’s directorial debut stars Ben Foster as an Army officer assigned to the difficult task of delivering tragic news to the relatives of fallen soldiers. From user kuchynata: “Awesomeness abounds. What a wonderful story, and a beautiful way of telling it. Fantastic acting by gracious people really helps.”

Youth in Revolt: Director Miguel Arteta paints a bizarre and charming picture of an awkward teen, played by Michael Cera, hopelessly in love and willing to go to absurd lengths to be with his sweetheart. From user sstair: “Wonderfully funny movie. I’m going to have to see it again to hear the dialog I missed due to all of the audience’s laughter.”

The 16th Annual Austin Film Festival is coming to a close tonight, and it’s been a great ride. If you didn’t have a chance to make it out this year, we hope to see you in 2010.